What will the Secretary of State not do regarding a notarized document that requires authentication?

The Secretary of State's role involves verifying and authenticating notarized documents to ensure they meet the necessary legal standards. The correct choice indicates that authentication will occur only if the document has been properly notarized. This means that all required steps of the notarization process—such as the notary's compliance with state laws and the presence of valid identification by the signer—must be adhered to for authentication to be granted.

Proper notarization entails that the notary has followed protocols like confirming the signer's identity and applying an official seal along with their signatures. If any of these procedural elements are lacking or if the notarization is defective in any way, the Secretary of State will not authenticate the document. This underscores the importance of notaries ensuring that they perform their duties correctly and in compliance with legal requirements.

While other options imply scenarios under which authentication might occur, they do not accurately capture the non-negotiable requirement of proper notarization for the Secretary of State to take action.